Map reading made easy

National Maps are more than just practical tools for orientation. They reflect our world and make national borders and local boundaries visible - from the global level down to local details. In Switzerland, there are many beautiful hiking areas close to the borders.

If you take a close look at Switzerland’s topographic maps, you will discover some exciting details – even beneath the water’s surface. The blue contour lines in lakes tell stories of hidden depths and sometimes of human interaction with nature too.

Are you planning a hike into the mountains? Whether you’re planning a relaxed tour on a hiking trail, a more challenging hike on a mountain trail or, for the really brave with appropriate equipment, even an alpine trail or via ferrata – there’s something for everyone. Using the cableways, you can comfortably conquer the metres in altitude and save your strength for the various adventures that lie ahead of you. Find out how you can best plan the right tour for you.

You’ve obtained a national map and are ready for your next outdoor adventure. But how do you hold the map correctly to best get your bearings in terrain? In this article, we show you how to align your map perfectly, so that you always know which way to go.

In this article, learn how to read contour lines, to calculate differences in altitude and to recognise mountains, valley and hills. Just imagine that you are in the midst of the mountains, surrounded by breathtaking nature. You are holding a hiking map and want to continue to the next mountain tavern. You can discern the plotted route to the mountain tavern on the map, but you can’t see it from your location.

Even experienced hikers are familiar with this issue: you've planned a hike and estimated the route and terrain, but time passes more quickly than you had anticipated. Good time management is vital when hiking in order not to miss the last train or get back after night has fallen.

On national maps you'll find various types of tracks – and they are not all suitable for all kinds of tour. Become a orientation pro and read our first post to find out how to identify and distinguish between roads and tracks on a map to select the best route for your hike.